The Binding
by Shoy of the Fire Nation
Summary: Rating for later chapters...Anyways, I hope you like it. It's my first! NO FLAMES! And, I'm not telling you what is in the story, you have to read it. No pairings as of yet. IT's FIXED! -dances- Sorry for the confusion
1. Patterns Part I

Ok, I'm actually starting to write my first Fan Fiction! -dances- Sorry...Anyways, I hope you like it...No flames please, seeing as this is my first! I've always wanted to write about Avatar, and now is my chance. PLEASE REVIEW! xD And, before you kill me, everyone is the same now as they are in the show! (the most recent show) :P

Ok, this is getting really annoying...There are WAY too many strange Fan Fictions out there...No offense to anyone who writes these, but the Zuko x Katara ones are getting really annoying...Can't there be more than a handful with a good solid plot, that does not need love and crazy OC's? -sighs- Anyways, if mine turns out that way I will kill myself! xD

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar - The Last Airbender or anyone mentioned in the show -wishes-

* * *

**

_Water, Earth, Fire, Air  
__Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony  
__That is, until the Firebenders attacked.  
__Only the Avatar, master of all four elements could stop them  
__But, when the world needed him most, he vanished.  
__100 years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new avatar:  
__An Airbender named Aang  
__But although his Airbending skills are great,  
__He still has a lot to learn before he is ready to save anybody.  
__But, I believe that Aang can save the world...

* * *

_

**Chapter 1: **Patterns - Part I

* * *

"Helmsman, change course due northeast!" shouted none other than Prince Zuko. According to his calculations, the Avatar was on his way to an Earth Kingdom island in that direction. And their destination was very close, which gave Zuko the chance to surprise them at their arrival.

"Prince Zuko, I do not want you to get over excited. The Avatar may not even be there."

Zuko glared at his Uncle. "Must you chastise me everytime I do something? Everytime I make a decision must you speak out against it? I am not a child anymore Uncle."

"I just don't want you to get hurt Nephew. Besides, even if the Avatar is there, you haven't had any sleep. You won't be able to fight him properly."

"I do not need sleep Uncle! I need to capture the Avatar!" Zuko said curtly. "I'll be in the meditation room if anyone needs me," and with that said, Zuko walked away, leaving Iroh on the deck.

"That boy really needs to focus on something else. He's going to wear himself out," the elderly man muttered to himself, and went off to get a cup of tea.

* * *

_This Avatar stuff is harder than I thought it would be. Probably even harder than Monk Gyatso even thought it would be. With Zuko chasing after me, all of this pressure, and Zuko it's a wonder we're only weeks from the North Pole._

"EARTH TO AANG!" Sokka said, while shaking him hard. "Aang, what's up with you?"

As Aang seemed to come back to reality, and looked around. He, Katara, and Sokka were on Appa heading North. "I'm fine Sokka..." he said, a little spacey.

"Well then, what do you think?" Sokka asked. "Should we stop today, or push Appa 'till tomorrow?"

Aang considered it for a moment, but then said, "I think Appa can last until tomorrow. Can't you boy?" Appa grunted, and Aang took that as a yes. "Then it's settled, we make camp tomorrow!"

Sokka and Katara nodded and Sokka went into his bed roll. "I'm tired," was all he said before he started snoring.

Aang and Katara laughed. "So Aang, when do you think we'll reach the North Pole?" she asked.

Thinking a moment, Aang responded, "I geuss it all depends on how many times we run into Zuko, and how often Appa gets tired." Aang smiled and said, "You want to practice Waterbending?"

"How? There's no water up here in the sky! You should know that Aang..." Katara said, a little confused.

"Remember? The clouds!" he said excitedly. "They're made of water! We could practice using them..."

Katara looked at Aang and then started grinning. "Sure, that would be fun!" With the flick of her hand, she got a cloud to come racing to her.

"Lemme try!" Aang said as he tried to copy Katara. He was able to get a cloud to come to him, and started making it flip and swerve gracefully. "Look, I'm doing it!" Then he stopped...

"Something wrong Aang?"

Turning, Katara could see an evil grin on Aang's face. "Nope," he said as he looked at Sokka, then at the cloud he was practicing on.

"You don't think-"

"O yes..." Aang said, still smiling evily. Using waterbending, Aang brought a cloud to a stop right above Sokka's head. Katara's eyes widened, but she did not speak. Aang made the water condense into a floating puddle, and dropped it right on Sokka's head.

Katara gasped right as Sokka woke up. Glaring at the two of them, he pratically shouted, "Alright, which one of you did that?"

"Did what?" Aang asked innocently. Katara had the urge to elbow Aang, but it was just all too funny...

"You know very well what Aang! And since you both know Waterbending now, I can't just blame it on Katara..."

Aang started laughing hysterically, but Katara just glared at Sokka..."Now," he continued, "After I dry myself off, I am going back to sleep. I suggest you do the same." Katara and Aang could hear his mutterings about them and their waterbending.

Aang nodded and got into his bed roll. Katara continued to glare at Sokka, although after about 5 minutes of glaring at his back, she decided to get some sleep...

Little did they know, their sleep was in danger of coming to an abrupt halt...

* * *

Dun dun dun! The evil cliffie, that is not so evil because I put up the next part to the chapter! Don't you all love me?

There are so many parts in this chapter, that after I wrote, I was like, "Whoah! De ja vu!" xD It scared me a bit...I had to change so many words to have it make sense. Remember: **NO FLAMES!**

Review before continuing...And be warned, there is a flashback to come. Maybe, even more than one!


	2. Patterns Part II

OH MY GOD! I saw the scariest thing...A Zuko x Sokka Fan fic! -dies- lol, I think it is scary anyways...

Well, I split the chapter up because I seriously needed to break them up somehow...Good thing these are going up on the same day, otherwise you would probably all kill me...If anyone is even reading...xD I sincerely hope atleast one person is going to stick through my story to the end! I have almost the whole plot in my mind! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA -coughs-

And, I just realized that we've never seen a female Airbender...-starts thinking- ARE THEY BALD!

Anyways, in order to encourage you people to review, you shall all be given muffins if you do!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anyone mentioned in the show -starts praying for a miracle-

* * *

**

**Chapter 1: **Patterns - Part II

* * *

Zuko sat cross-legged in a completely silent room. Well, silent except for his breathing of course. He needed to focus, before another encounter with the Avatar, which meditation helped him do. But, although that was the purpose of meditation, his mind was wandering. He thought of two years ago, the day he had lost his honor, his home, and gained a scar.

_"Zuko," a concerned uncle said, "Why did you challenge him to the Agni-Kai? You have yet to master your basics, and you have challenged a master!"_

_"I know uncle, but I must fight." 14 year-old Prince Zuko looked out across the ocean. He looked much older than his age though. "I must fight for the right reasons..."_

_Iroh looked at his nephew and said, "You are growing up a little too fast my Prince." Sighing, Iroh continued, "You must begin preperations...We must get you ready for what may be the most important fight of your life young Prince."_

_Zuko nodded, fully understanding his uncle's words. "What must I do uncle?"_

_"Meditate, train...There is not much for you to do that would have any effect," he said while turning to the young Prince. "You must believe in yourself Zuko, or you will never win."_

_"I will not lose uncle."_

A knock on the door disturbed the Prince from his thoughts. It was more of a banging really, than a knock. "What news of the Avatar?"

"Sir, the Avatar's bison has been spotted."

This caused Zuko to jump up. The candles behind him, flared dangerously. "Do not lose sight of them!"

The door was open now, and it was at this time that Iroh decided to walk in. "Nephew, I assume you have already heard of the sighting. Might I suggest a course of action?"

Zuko could barely refrain himself from rolling his eyes, but he nodded. This was very unlike him at the time...

"My suggestion is: to let the Avatar and his companions reach their destination."

"WHAT? We have the perfect opportunity to shoot down the bison and take the Avatar into custody!" Zuko glowered at his uncle, but did not start shouting yet. His voice, oddly enough, was almost calm.

"It is a reason of your own Prince Zuko...Or so, I believe you have created. Letting the Avatar reach his destination, may lull him into a false sense of security. We will arrive the day he does, and attack during the night. If assumed correctly, they will not be expecting an assault. But, we must stay out of sight..."

Zuko looked at his uncle suspiciously and almost smiled. Turning, he looked at the map hanging on the wall. It seemed, even while meditating, Prince Zuko always kept his mind on the Avatar.

Iroh took Zuko's silence as a personal victory. Usually, his nephew barely listened to Iroh's suggestions. Or, even worse, started to throw fire at him for even disturbing the Prince. "I'll tell the helmsman nephew. You shall be updated periodically."

Nodding, Prince Zuko went back to thinking of his uncle's plan. It was true, that was what Zuko originally had in mind, but he had not thought it out as carefully (as it seems) uncle Iroh did. Smiling to himself, Zuko returned to his meditation. As it seems, he also returned to his past.

_The sun was almost down on the horizon, as the warriors prepared for the Agni-Kai. Prince Zuko knelt on one knee, bare-footed and bare-chested. His fist was planted on the ground. "Nephew, remember your basics. They are your greatest weapon." **(1)**_

_"I will not lose," the Prince repeated for about the fifth time that day. He said it in his mind over and over, as if believing it would make it true. "And, you are wrong uncle."_

_"How so my little Prince?"_

_Ignoring the 'little' part, Zuko responded, "The basics are not my greatest weapon. My passion, and reason to fight is." Raising his head, he continued, "That so called 'Master' fights to please my father. Although it is true I wish to please him, I must make my opinion clear."_

_Iroh smiled sadly, hearing his nephew's words. Many times during the past years he had thought to himself, 'My nephew is too grown-up for his own good.' "I believe in you, Prince Zuko," Iroh said as Zuko stood up to face his opponent._

_To make things worse than they were, his father was there as well. His opponent didn't look to happy to be there. For all it was worth, Zuko didn't feel any better. Calling across the arena, the 'Master' made it clear, "If you do not back down now my Prince, I will be forced to-"_

_Zuko cut him off, "I will not back down." **(2)**_

_The two got into fighting position, Prince Zuko's opponent speaking no longer. A gong_ (ummm...couldn't think of another word)_ was heard from across the arena, and the first flame was thrown..._

Coming back to the present, Zuko realised that the candle flames were dangerously high. Shaking his head, he got up and headed towards the deck. Maybe some fresh air would chase away his memories...

* * *

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all awoke to the same feeling. It was the feeling of being watched. They tried to make mild conversation, to 'shoo' the feeling away. But, it just kept returning. And when it returned, it was always a little bit stronger than before.

That was, until they spotted land. Sokka, with his one-track mind, asked, "You think there's food on that island?" He rubbed his stomach, almost as if to emphasize his hunger.

Aang almost burst out laughing, as Katara remained (shall I say) serious. She responded, "Gee Sokka, I don't think there's food there. There are only hundreds of different species of life on the island. I don't think that ANY of them are edible." This just provoked the laughter. Aang doubled over he was laughing so hard.

"Good one Katara," he said, hiccuping he laughed so much.

Sokka grumbled something about sisters as the trio prepared to land.

* * *

**(1) **xD Sound familiar? I couldn't think of anything else, and it fit perfectly!

**(2)** Hmmm...That sounds familiar too...O yeah! The episode with Horu (I think that's how you spell it) and the fake fight...That was SOOO hillarious.

It's fixed! -dances-


End file.
